Gratuities

[Morecruisesplz]

Got it. If they force you to pay a gratuity you are OK with it. If they make it optional you stiff the staff blaming "corporations" and hurting no one but the employees. Your logic is breathtakingly flawed.

 

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And I suppose when you go out to dinner at home, not only do you tip your waiter but you also go into the kitchen and tip the chef, the dishwasher, the expeditors, etc. No, you expect the restaurant owner to pay all of those other people a fair wage.

[GUT2407]

Just to know what goes on - the actual PROCEDURE, not opinions..

 

1. if you leave the auto-grat it is split between "everyone" and if you give extra, say to your cabin steward, they get to keep it for themselves? I have read both, that they get to keep it AND they have to turn in all extra money as well. Wondering if anyone has the factual information.

2. If you remove auto-grat but give cash in the envelopes - for the sake of argument say it's the right amount or more..they have to give the entire amount in to be shared?

 

How was all the cash handled before you were able to prepay it, was it split up or did just the few envelopes get to keep them? I remember it was the cabin steward, waiter, asst. waiter and the maitre'd only. Back "in the day", we were always lead to believe the person who you gave the envelope to was who got the money, there was no "behind the scenes" people discussed either by the travel agent or a cruise line.

 

Please remember, I am looking for procedural/factual information only, this is not an opinion-based post.

 

 

Every crew contract I've seen has said that all cash tips must be handed in, they say nothing about what happens after that.

 

Some argue that if the name isn't on some magical list the crew get it back, if the name is on the list it goes into the pool. Now I'm not sure what stops the crew giving a name that's not on the list.

[ChinaShrek]

Please tell me what cruise you will be on. I have yet to see anyone bussing and cleaning the tables themselves for the next guest. I stack the plates and silverware nicely to make it easier. But i have never seen a passenger on a cruise ship take their dishes to the dishwashing station and then get a rag with disinfectant and wipe the table down! If you do that every meal and turn your room over on embarkation day i can see you taking off the tips. Turning over room to include clean room, bathroom and replacing the linens and such on embarkation day.

 

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On my last cruise, I brought dirty dishes twice to the dish washing station because no one was around and the table was getting filled with plates. Furthermore, I would argue that my cruise fare should cover a clean cabin. I expect one when I book the cruise. Perhaps you do not.

[ECCruise]

And I suppose when you go out to dinner at home, not only do you tip your waiter but you also go into the kitchen and tip the chef, the dishwasher, the expeditors, etc. No, you expect the restaurant owner to pay all of those other people a fair wage.

What don't you people get? We are NOT talking about kitchen staff in Asheville, NC which may be paid a decent wage. We are talking about cruise staff in the gratuity pool that aren't. Why is this simple concept so difficult for some of you to grasp?

Is it density or cheapness? No other choices.

 

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[Hoopster95]

Just to know what goes on - the actual PROCEDURE, not opinions....

 

Please remember, I am looking for procedural/factual information only, this is not an opinion-based post.

 

For what it's worth, from a face to face conversation onboard this past January:

 

Auto grats make up 100% of their wages.

Any extra cash tip the individual gets to keep 10% of it. The remaining 90% is pooled into their "team".

Teams are divided into close groups... ie the Boleros Bar and On-Air across the Promenade on Harmony are a team... they share their cash tips with themselves so they don't have to share with the Solarium Bar for example.

[frank808]

On my last cruise, I brought dirty dishes twice to the dish washing station because no one was around and the table was getting filled with plates. Furthermore, I would argue that my cruise fare should cover a clean cabin. I expect one when I book the cruise. Perhaps you do not.

So you didnt clean up after every meal? A member of the staff had to do it.

 

Yes your room was clean when you arrived. Since you implied the staff didnt deserve the tip because you had to do the work, shouldn't you clean up after you have used the room? So you put the do not disturb sign up and did not need the steward the whole 10 night cruise?

 

PS I also leave a tip for housekeeping at land based hotels.

 

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[ChinaShrek]

What don't you people get? We are NOT talking about kitchen staff in Asheville, NC which may be paid a decent wage. We are talking about cruise staff in the gratuity pool that aren't. Why is this simple concept so difficult for some of you to grasp?

Is it density or cheapness? No other choices.

 

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Why is the concept that tipping is evil so difficult for you to understand? These workers have chosen to do that job. No one forces them to do this work. Why must they be given tips by me? I might not even interact or see these people, yet I must tip them or I am a bad person. That sounds like you want me to feel shame or guilt. I must tip them or I will receive bad service. That sounds like extortion. These people are paid low wages. So, what? Why is that my problem? That is between the worker and his/her employer.

[ChinaShrek]

So you didnt clean up after every meal? A member of the staff had to do it.

 

Yes your room was clean when you arrived. Since you implied the staff didnt deserve the tip because you had to do the work, shouldn't you clean up after you have used the room? So you put the do not disturb sign up and did not need the steward the whole 10 night cruise?

 

PS I also leave a tip for housekeeping at land based hotels.

 

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Nope. I to expect do no work on my cruise. If I do, I will be at guest service taking on those tips. You should too or you are a victim of the cruise lines. And, I will never tip housekeeping at any hotel anywhere in the world.

[Morecruisesplz]

What don't you people get? We are NOT talking about kitchen staff in Asheville, NC which may be paid a decent wage. We are talking about cruise staff in the gratuity pool that aren't. Why is this simple concept so difficult for some of you to grasp?

Is it density or cheapness? No other choices.

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What did those "behind the scenes" people receive in payment when we used to get a stack of envelopes in which we put cash. Those had the job name of the person on it. (waiter, assistant waiter, cabin steward, etc.) There was no envelope for "the kitchen staff." Someone had to pay them to work back then -- at what point did it become YOUR obligation to pay all those people?

And, RCCL has removed all of the assistants -- only one waiter in MDR or specialty restaurants when there also used to be an assistant. (And service has suffered.) Oher staffing has also been cut. So, since tip amounts do not go down in proportion to staff cuts, is that not like a huge raise for the remaining employees? Maybe something like double what they had received in the past?

[John&LaLa]

But we are talking reality not idle conjecture. Fares have NOT Been raised to accommodate gratuities. Would it be better? Likely, but so would a world without war and hunger. With the exception of a hand full of cruise lines, workers are paid nothing within light years of a living wage if they are in the tip pool.

 

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Try and tell that to the folks in Australia. I heard they have put it into all cruises sailing within their waters. So at the end of the day, it's still included. It's just semantics anyway. It's a semi mandatory service charge. :evilsmile:

[LMaxwell]

What did those "behind the scenes" people receive in payment when we used to get a stack of envelopes in which we put cash.

 

A fair wage not tied to any gratuity system.

[Morecruisesplz]

For what it's worth, from a face to face conversation onboard this past January:

 

Auto grats make up 100% of their wages.

Did a ship officer give you that information?

[John&LaLa]

Why is the concept that tipping is evil so difficult for you to understand? These workers have chosen to do that job. No one forces them to do this work. Why must they be given tips by me? I might not even interact or see these people, yet I must tip them or I am a bad person. That sounds like you want me to feel shame or guilt. I must tip them or I will receive bad service. That sounds like extortion. These people are paid low wages. So, what? Why is that my problem? That is between the worker and his/her employer.

 

They have been led to believe they would receive a large part of their compensation by employment agencies that hired them. Exactly why is this so hard to grasp? :confused:

[John&LaLa]

What did those "behind the scenes" people receive in payment when we used to get a stack of envelopes in which we put cash. Those had the job name of the person on it. (waiter, assistant waiter, cabin steward, etc.) There was no envelope for "the kitchen staff." Someone had to pay them to work back then -- at what point did it become YOUR obligation to pay all those people?

And, RCCL has removed all of the assistants -- only one waiter in MDR or specialty restaurants when there also used to be an assistant. (And service has suffered.) Oher staffing has also been cut. So, since tip amounts do not go down in proportion to staff cuts, is that not like a huge raise for the remaining employees? Maybe something like double what they had received in the past?

 

We had an assistant in the MDR. Probably not needed in the specialty restaurants.

 

Now back in the day, their was an assistant steward.

[Hoopster95]

Did a ship officer give you that information?

 

One of the servers.

[Hoopster95]

Try and tell that to the folks in Australia. I heard they have put it into all cruises sailing within their waters. So at the end of the day, it's still included. It's just semantics anyway. It's a semi mandatory service charge. :evilsmile:

 

The same server who I had a great conversation about life on board, tips, etc came from Voyager and Mariner... said they would receive extra $ from RCL on those sailings as the tips were extremely poor and they were losing staff. I'm guessing all cruise lines save a lot by paying their staff via "gratuities" like taxes, pensions, insurance, who knows whatever else compared to a business that claims it's payroll.

[John&LaLa]

The same server who I had a great conversation about life on board, tips, etc came from Voyager and Mariner... said they would receive extra $ from RCL on those sailings as the tips were extremely poor and they were losing staff. I'm guessing all cruise lines save a lot by paying their staff via "gratuities" like taxes, pensions, insurance, who knows whatever else compared to a business that claims it's payroll.

I don't recall they are paying any extra, just added tips to base fare so it can't be removed.

 

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[ChinaShrek]

They have been led to believe they would receive a large part of their compensation by employment agencies that hired them. Exactly why is this so hard to grasp? :confused:

 

It isn't. They just wont get a penny from me. You can hate me if you want, but I am allowed to do it.:')

[Super-Luke88]

One of the servers.

 

Of course they would say that. In hopes that you feel guilty and tip more haha

[Morecruisesplz]

One of the servers.

Ahhh! There is the answer.

[Theaden07]

I prepay my gratuities and if someone is exceptional which they usually are I leave extra

 

 

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[Punchy]

I don't concern myself with the actions of others when it comes to optional payments.

[SRF]

How so? If these gratuities (whatever that means, I'm not grateful for anything), are included with the cruise fare then they aren't gratuities. Why does everyone need extra money then what they are paid when they are hired to do their job? Lot's of hard working people do not receive tips in this world. I see no logic in paying extortion in order to receive good service. That's intimidation, and I will not be intimidated. I also urge all new cruisers to take a stand against the tyranny of tipping.

 

So you don't tip in restaurants and bars on land?

 

I hope you don't eat at the same place often, or who knows what has been done to your food.

 

Many jobs are tip based and the hourly pay is based on the person getting tips. Other jobs are not tip based. Saying that tips are extortion is just to make you feel better about yourself. But deep down, you know are you being cheap.

[SRF]

Why is the concept that tipping is evil so difficult for you to understand? These workers have chosen to do that job. No one forces them to do this work. Why must they be given tips by me? I might not even interact or see these people, yet I must tip them or I am a bad person. That sounds like you want me to feel shame or guilt. I must tip them or I will receive bad service. That sounds like extortion. These people are paid low wages. So, what? Why is that my problem? That is between the worker and his/her employer.

 

Do you realize the conditions in the home countries that most of the staff come from?

 

That they just can't pick another job. There just AREN'T any jobs?

 

Do you think they WANT to be away from home and family for 6 - 9 months at a time? Working a 7 day work week with NO holidays for those 6 - 9 months?

 

There is a reason you do not see the tipped staff jobs held by Americans or Western European, or Australian or similar county nationals. They come from countries with little to no opportunities for working.

 

In many parts of the world, the local economy pays a family less per year, than you pay per day for your cruise.

 

Talk about privileged, clueless people .........

[SRF]

All those folks who want to have the gratuities added to the cruise fare, are probably the same ones who will switch cruise lines for cheaper fares if this was actually done.

 

MANY people shop price. And to compete in that market, they have to be able to quote low fares.

 

Also, those who rely on tips, are in jobs that are traditionally tipped on land, so they are just doing what is normal in the US (where the company is based).

 

And that is why, in some markets, the tips ARE added to the fare and are not optional. Because in those areas of the world, tipping is not normally done.